House Fire on Leigh Avenue in Princeton

The scene at 74 Leigh Avenue Monday at noon. Firefighters quickly put out the house fire.

Just before 11 30 a.m. today, the Princeton Police and Princeton Fire Department responded to 74 Leigh Avenue after the renter at the residence called and reported that there was smoke in the house.

Firefighters found heavy smoke and flames coming from a basement wall and crawl space at the rear of the house. The Princeton Fire Department quickly extinguished the fire. The homeowner was evacuated from the house and there were no reported injuries.

Bob Gregory, the director of emergency management for the town of Princeton, said the cause of the fire is still not clear.

“The fire definitely started in the crawl space and made its way up the inside wall,” Gregory said. “The fire department had to open up the walls on all levels to make sure the fire was out.”

The house is uninhabitable, Gregory said.

“There is fire damage in the crawl space and up the sides of the house to the second floor. There is smoke damage and water damage,” he said. “PSE&G also pulled the meter because we are not sure if it was electric — if that played a role or what played a role.”

Leigh Avenue continues to be closed to vehicular traffic while the cause of the fire remains under investigation by police and fire personnel at the scene.